A Surrey man accused of murdering his common-law wife was violent and angry during an argument between the two at an Okanagan winery just hours before she was killed, according to witness testimony heard in BC Supreme Court in 琉璃神社 on March 9.
Tejwant Danjou is facing trial for a second-degree murder charge related to the death of Rama Gauravarapu in their West 琉璃神社 hotel room on July 22, 2018.
Bryan Van, a driver who takes tourists between Okanagan wineries, took the stand on Monday to tell the court what he saw at Mission Hill Family Estate earlier that same day.
After dropping off his passengers around 3 p.m., Van stayed near the entrance area of the winery waiting for the people he dropped off to finish a quick one-hour tour.
While passing time and people-watching Van saw a man and a woman, whom he later identified as Danjou and Gauravarapu, having an argument.
Although too far away to hear what they were discussing, Van said he saw Danjou 鈥渧iolently鈥� grab Gauravarapu鈥檚 sunglasses off of her face.
鈥淚t looked like he slapped them off her face,鈥� he said.
After this, Gauravarapu went to sit down at some nearby tables, while Danjou went to lean on a nearby wishing well. There, Van said, he heard Danjou muttering some unsavoury words about his partner.
鈥溾�楩鈥攌ing c鈥攖; f鈥攌ing b鈥攃h.鈥� Harsh, harsh words,鈥� he said, adding Danjou was staring intensely at Gauravarapu.
Van said the two eventually returned to the same spot they were arguing before, where Danjou was 鈥渞ight up in (Gauravarapu鈥檚) face.鈥�
After another brief argument, Danjou took his own sunglasses, threw them on the ground and stomped on them, Van testified.
He said Gauravarapu calmly knelt down and picked up the pieces of the glasses.
鈥淪he looked calm 鈥� not happy 鈥� but sombre and calm,鈥� he said.
Van eventually found his passengers and went back to his car. He said Danjou approached the car and stuck his head in, thinking it was an Uber he had called.
鈥淗is eyes stuck out to me. They were bloodshot,鈥� he said.
Van left with his passengers, attended a couple of other wineries and returned them to the Best Western 鈥� the same hotel Danjou and Gauravarapu were staying at 鈥� around 8 p.m.
He testified he saw ambulances and police cars upon his return.
While Van didn鈥檛 think much of it, his wife scoured local news websites over the next few days to see what had happened.
When RCMP announced Danjou had been charged, the two Googled his name out of curiosity.
鈥淚 saw a Realtor from Surrey who looked just like the guy I鈥檇 saw at the winery,鈥� he said.
The trial continues.
READ MORE: Handholding before homicide: Video shows final hours before West 琉璃神社 murder
READ MORE: Accused West 琉璃神社 murderer claimed wife cheated, wanted RCMP to investigate
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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